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  1. #21
    Fireside Member RobW-NC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by traveldawg View Post
    Just want to clear up one thing.... I don't really ram the truck into the pin. Sometimes after I get under it I have to give it a bit more throttle and then it latches sometimes it latches smooth-as-butter. And because it is an autoslider hitch when not on an exact alignment it might need some extra effort as it latches; I think that is to move the hitch head into alignment a bit. Such is life - always some special case/

    It looks like I might be in the minority here. Since my DW and I make hitching and unhitching a joint effort (she actually does the final hitch/unhitch while I monitor) this way is working out well - for now. If I did it myself I'd probably skip the idea of connecting the 7 pin connector.

    Thanks for all the ideas so far.
    I line it up and then monitor while the DW finishes backing up to complete the hitching. I raise the front jacks up just clear of the ground and have her do the pull test while I watch it. I don't want to chance bending the legs. I went to pick my camper up from the dealer after some work and they had bent the legs.
    2019 F350 Lariat Super Duty 6.7L Diesel SRW 4X4 with puck system
    2016 Reflection 337 RLS
    Pullrite Superglide

  2. #22
    Rolling Along
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    It's always interesting to see how other people do things. Here's my procedure.

    Set the pin height and back into the trailer. Don't ever have to get out and check because I do it perfectly every time... now back to reality 😁

    I never thought of using trailer brakes for hitching so I don't. It should be noted (as some have wondered here) that magnetic drum brakes do nothing in reverse and also require some wheel rotation to work going forward. Electric over hydraulic (disc) brakes will actually lock the wheels as soon as they are applied. To me, all of this means don't bother if you have drum brakes. With disc brakes, I suppose you could use them if you were in some predicament where you needed to push into the hitch. That's a stretch. If you have to push that hard, something is wrong.

    I'm also in the camp of "don't have electrical connected if you're not hitched."... disconnect electrical first and connect it last.

    And now the "tug test." This is a little off topic, but I hear many stories of people misunderstanding its purpose. I would rather it was called a "yank the s#@t out of it" test. The purpose is to cause the hitch connection to fail (if you can) while the landing gear is in place to catch the trailer. For the above mentioned reasons, don't bother with drum brakes for this. The trailer should be securely chocked. The cheap plastic ones don't count as securely chocked. How many times have people pulled out and crushed them? Nuff said. Landing gear should be and inch or two off the ground to avoid stress on the gear. When all is secure you should PULL the securely chocked trailer (no gentle tugging). You are trying to find out if something is wrong.

    With my last hitch I did the PULL test every single time. However, with my current hitch I can see visually that the jaws are closed and the locking mechanism is in place. Short of the hitch actually being broken, there is no way it can release when these parts are engaged.

  3. #23
    Site Sponsor
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    Quote Originally Posted by traveldawg View Post
    I discovered a few months back a fellow who gets his truck's hitch near the king pin, sets the hight of the 5th wheel for latching, then connects the 7 pin connector. Then he gets in the truck, manually activates the 5th wheel's brakes and backs up to make his hitch connection. He reverses the procedure when disconnecting - locking the 5th wheel's brakes then pulling off the hitch.

    it made sense to me. Sometimes I would back up too hard and slightly moving the 5th wheel (in spite of chocking). It didn't move far, maybe 1/4" or so, but it would move - you know 'just to be sure' it latched. Now, with the braking procedure things connect and disconnect very smoothy with no trailer movement.

    Have I just missed this all these years? Does everyone do this?
    I do not use the manual brake control to hitch or unhitch. By locking the brakes you are taking away any "give" that might be needed if something is wrong. With the brakes applied there is no slight movement possible and if you accidently hit the gas a little harder than intended, something will move. It could be the trailer moving a little or maybe bending the kingpin or creating issues with the jaws. Safer to have a little extra room to play with.
    2019 29rs
    2007 Ram diesel, 4x4 long bed
    CDL with tanker, hazmat, emergency vehicle, and bus endorsements

  4. #24
    Fireside Member
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    We've been RVing with a 5th wheel trailer for 11 years now. We have yet to utilize the trailer braking mechanism while hooking up or unhooking. We do use wheel chocks in each direction of the wheels by placing chocks between the two wheels on each side. It is easy to place the chocks in such fashion because they are located almost in the same place. Everything else we do is just like the OP described. We have yet to have an issue with this method. Good luck.

  5. #25
    Setting Up Camp
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    I have the Anderson puck hitch so there is no need. I can remove it myself as it weighs 60 - 70 lbs. Raise the front landing gears, pull underneath and drop kingpin onto the ball.

  6. #26
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    Thats how I do it with my companion also.

  7. #27
    Seasoned Camper Ra&Ta350's Avatar
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    Texfivver, I too have the B&M companion hitch. On at least one occasion, I was slightly off with my king pin and it knocked the jaws shut but my pin was not in the jaws. It made the satisfying clunk noise and the locking lever was closed. If I had not visually inspected the jaws I would have pulled away and dropped my trailer.

    Quote Originally Posted by Txfivver View Post
    I'm always hitching up by myself and I leave the trailer wheels chocked and use the trucks CHMSL camera to get me pretty close side to side and back in slow. When I see the pin get close to the hitch plate I get out and eyeball the pin and the jaws. I've found with the Companion you need the pin a little low in relation to the jaws and it will ride up and in. I can always get it close but don't mind getting out and looking. The companion locking lever always swings closed with a satisfying clunk, I put the lock on it and don't even bother with a pull test. On the Companion if that lever is closed and the safety pin is in it is NOT coming open. Easy peasy.

  8. #28
    Setting Up Camp
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    I rely on my chocks, can't help but to be concern about damage. Once I lock down my GD manually with its brakes, it does tend to more.
    My chocks offer some forgiveness.
    2021 Grand Design Reflection 150 295RL
    2021 GMC 2500 Denali, Duramax 6.6L, 10 spd Allison transmission
    2 Boykins Spaniels

  9. #29
    Big Traveler Txfivver's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=Ra&Ta350;341533]Texfivver, I too have the B&M companion hitch. On at least one occasion, I was slightly off with my king pin and it knocked the jaws shut but my pin was not in the jaws. It made the satisfying clunk noise and the locking lever was closed. If I had not visually inspected the jaws I would have pulled away and dropped my trailer.[/QUOTE Ugh that could have been bad. I always take one more look at the jaws after I put the pin in the locking lever just to be sure.
    2019 Solitude 375RES Onan 5500 Splendide W/D Samsung res. fridge
    2020 Ford F450 Platinum dually 6.7L 4:30 gears
    B&W Companion for Ford puck system 20K lbs
    Jeff

  10. #30
    Setting Up Camp
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ra&Ta350 View Post
    Texfivver, I too have the B&M companion hitch. On at least one occasion, I was slightly off with my king pin and it knocked the jaws shut but my pin was not in the jaws. It made the satisfying clunk noise and the locking lever was closed. If I had not visually inspected the jaws I would have pulled away and dropped my trailer.
    I did something like this. I heard the clunk, I swear I visually inspected and saw the teeth clamped, then I did a pull test and the pin came out. I thought maybe I was crazy...sometimes in a rush or the rain things are not always what they seem. Eyesight not always so reliable. Fortunately the rig only dropped an inch or so because I leave the front legs mostly down for the pull test. Otherwise it would have dropped onto the truck bed. I still looked around to see if anyone noticed, tho...

    I've just always done a pull test as part of my hookup routine. With every rig, and every hitch. Only takes a few seconds. I leave the chocks down but manually engage the trailer brakes too.

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